One form of conventional sport or work knives comprises a handle and one or more folding blades. The blades in such knives are closed or opened simply by applying pressure directly on the blade or an extension portion of the blade and rotating the blade to the desired position. For example, a typical conventional folding knife might have a thumb-stud or similar mechanism affixed directly to the blade to assist in pivoting the blade from the closed, or folded, position to the open position extending from the handle. Closing the blade typically requires releasing a blade locking mechanism and then applying pressure to the back of the blade and rotating it to the closed position. While some conventional folding knives can be opened or closed using only one hand, such one-handed operation can be awkward or difficult for individuals lacking the required dexterity.
It would be desirable to provide a folding knife with a novel blade-opening mechanism.